Visakhapatnam: Upgraded high schools turn out to be a failure

Visakhapatnam: The upgradation of high schools into High School Plus (HSP) with an agenda to set up junior colleges in each mandal resulted in a failure.

Initial interest evinced in upgrading the schools into junior colleges failed to reflect in facilitating necessary infrastructure, appointing teaching faculty and suitable platforms. As a result, the HSPs in Visakhapatnam recorded less than five pass percentage.

Five high schools have been upgraded into HSPs last academic year in Visakhapatnam, including NMC High School in Seethammadhara, Mulagada GVMC High School near Malkapuram, Gangavaram Zilla Parishad High School, Gajuwaka and Gopalapatnam Zilla Parishad High Schools.

Even as 20 to 70 students have been given admissions in each school for MPC and BiPC groups, the highest number of admissions were registered in Gajuwaka ZPHS as 72 students got admitted into it.

A total of 174 students appeared for the first year Intermediate examinations in Visakhapatnam. However, not even 5 per cent of them could secure pass marks on all subjects.

The results did not show any sign of encouragement across the state. Absence of thoughtful upgradation and appropriate planning impacted the most crucial academic phase of the students.

Apparently, lack of qualified teachers in HSPs is one of the main reasons for the disastrous outcome. While some of the schools lacked Science teachers, a few others lagged behind in appointing mathematics teachers.

The situation in most HSPs appears to be more or less the same. Without giving any prior training, school assistants working in high schools were asked to teach subjects.

None of the HSPs registered a double-digit pass percentage this academic year where 174 students appeared for the examinations. Of the 19 students in Mulagada HSP near Malkapuram, two students passed. Similarly, two students passed from a total of 32 candidates in ZPHS, Gopalapatnam. In Gajuwaka, out of 72 students, two students passed. In NMC High School in Seethammadhara, one student passed out of 26. However, Gangavaram Zilla Parishad High School recorded a zero pass percentage. A majority of students failed in Mathematics, Physics, Botany, Chemistry and Zoology subjects. “Lack of qualified teachers is one part of the issue, while the academic year has been delayed by a few weeks.

Also, students have to cope with the lack of textbooks. These setbacks led to poor results,” laments A Venkata Rao, a parent. After waiting for the supply of textbooks till September, principals and teachers teamed up to invest in textbooks for the students in most institutions.

Already, some of the parents have considered shifting their wards to other institutions. “A separate summer class has been facilitated for the failed candidates. Special attention will be paid on the students to pass the failed subjects during supplementary exams scheduled next,” shared a HM of HSP.